A Father's Comfort
by AnEclecticKat
Summary: *WARNING* Speculation about the Charming and Emma moment from the Lacey promo based in part on (spoilers!). After Henry is kidnapped, David comes home to find his daughter slumped on the stairs, finally overwhelmed by the grief that had been threatening to overtake her.


A/N: Hello all! Here is a reaction piece to that fantastic promo we saw on Sunday, combined with some speculation based off of spoilers I've heard on the finale. I am seriously desperate for more Charming-Emma moments, and the promo sparked my imagination! This might be complete and utter rambling, but nonetheless, here tis! ;) Review and tell me what you think! Hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

He walked into the small apartment, setting his keys down quietly on the table, and allowed himself to finally let his guard down. After discussing at length with Anton how long it would take to grow a second magical bean, he had been crushed to find that it would take days, if not weeks, to harvest a second. Sighing in exhaustion, he let his head droop, and allowed the tears that had been pricking at his eyes all afternoon to surface once more. All he see, all he could think of, was the look on his grandson's face when he had been ripped from them, brown eyes wide with fear and panic, crying and reaching out for his family as he was swept into the portal along with his two kidnappers.

_Oh, Henry._

David felt his heart might burst from the emotion that rose within him at the thought of his sweet grandson, the savior of the savior.

Henry, the little boy whose undeterred quest for the truth led to the breaking of a terrible curse, and the reuniting of his family.

The boy who he had loved from the moment he laid eyes on him, and who saved them all daily.

The boy who looked to him as a hero, and believed in him even as he was unraveling at the seams trying to run a town, and find the remainder of their family.

The boy who was now missing, ripped from his family, and taken to an unknown land to where they could not immediately follow.

David gritted his teeth and ran a hand through his hair in frustration, every fiber of his being screaming for him to _do_ something; to find, hold, and protect.

His weary eyes glanced over the room to find his daughter slumped on the stairs, head cast down, hair cascading forward and draping over her lap. His heart broke anew at the devastation and utter defeat exuding from her posture. His gaze came to rest on her temple, where a glaring red gash shone out from her previous struggle with Greg and Tamara, as she had fought desperately for Henry, and he felt a renewed rage boil up within him.

How _dare_ they lay a hand on his _daughter_?

How dare they _take_ his _grandson_?

Charming's fists involuntarily clenched at his sides, anger rising inside of him in red hot waves, even as his stomach seemed to open inwards in a pit of guilt.

_He hadn't been able to protect his family. _

In a moment, the fight had left him, physically staggering him, and leaving only anger at himself, and an immense sense of guilt. He had let them take his only grandson, and harm his daughter, both physically and emotionally, more than she could bear.

He felt a part of him die inside at the thought of the recent suffering his family had been forced to endure. He could slay dragons, and battle entire armies, but he could not tackle this. No matter how much he wished he could, he could not battle the emotional monsters that had attacked his family—first his wife, and now his daughter. Charming stole another look at Emma and felt his heart give a painful lurch at the pain that seemed to be emanating from her in waves.

Emma looked up at his sharp intake of breath, seemingly just noticing her father, and swiped at her eyes, now swimming in unshed tears. David slowly approached her, taking a seat on the stairs beside her, and for a moment, said nothing. For what felt like an eternity, father and daughter sat together, breathing in sync, as they attempted to unscramble the immense mountain of emotions and obstacles that had piled up before them.

David finally broke the silence, speaking softly.

"You should really get that looked at."

Emma gave a slight start at the sound of his voice, and numbly raised a hand to the abrasion on her head, drawing her hand back to observe the blood that stuck to her fingers.

In a hollow tone, she responded, not looking at David.

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine, Emma, you're hurt, let me.."

David began, raising a hand to her head in concern, wanting to get a closer look at the injury to better assess what type of bandage she needed. Interrupting, she shook her head, brushing his hand out of the way.

"Nothing can make this better." She whispered, cursing the lump that had forced its way into her throat.

"They _took_ Henry. They took my_ son_, and I couldn't do anything to stop them." Emma choked out fiercely, violently swiping at the tears that were beginning to roll down her cheeks.

David grasped one of Emma's hands firmly within his own, forcing her to look up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"Emma, this is _not_ your fault. There was nothing you could have done. There was nothing any of us could have done.."

Raising her strained voice, Emma pulled her hand away from his.

"But I SHOULD have seen! I should have seen that Tamara couldn't be trusted, I should have known that Greg was suspicious, I should have KEPT THEM FROM TAKING MY SON!"

Emma sobbed, collapsing into herself, and succumbing to the hysterics that had been threatening to overwhelm her, cradling her head in her hands. Charming felt his own tears begin to spill over, as he was floored by the realization that nothing, _nothing,_ was worse than this. Seeing his daughter in this kind of pain, and knowing he could do nothing to help her, was worse than any pain he had endured in his life. In his mind, as he looked at Emma, all he could see was the precious baby he had cradled in his arms and vowed to guard with his life; the baby who he had fought desperately to get to the wardrobe that would carry her to safety.

Finally giving in to his most basic instincts, he wrapped a strong arm around his baby girl, forgoing all hesitations, desperately needing to hold her and protect her, wishing with all of his being that he could take this hurt away.

To his surprise, he found her shaking form sinking further into his embrace, burrowing herself deeper within his shoulder. A warm tear streaked down his cheek as, emboldened, he gently leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering there for a moment and breathing in the scent that was purely Emma. The same Emma whose temple he had kissed as he placed her in the wardrobe and sent her off into the unknown with a last and desperate plea to find them once again.

Whispering firmly against his daughter's head, he attempted to convey all of the love he had for her, and all the regret he felt, into the statement in which he had always had faith.

"We _will_ find him, Emma." He choked out, drawing away from her slightly and allowing her head to rest against his shoulder.

Rubbing her arm, he drew her even closer.

"We will _always_ find him."


End file.
